Last Wednesday I was invited by MP Johnson to perform at the launch for his new title: Dungeons and Drag Queens. It was a lot of fun, and I have to say, after hearing him read the first three chapters, I’m looking forward to reading the rest! It’s available on Amazon, though they still had a few copies at the hosting bookstore, Common Good Books, if you want to check it out.

I thank him for generously inviting me to perform at his launch. The temptation to simply take the opportunity to strip and frolic in the stacks was overwhelming, but I managed to keep myself under control, and just take off my shirt. 😉 It was interesting doing what I do at a book store though and it got me thinking.

I love sharing my poetry aloud to a crowd, (free rhymes included with every post btw), even though sometimes sharing my poetry makes me feel more exposed and vulnerable than taking my top off. In my poems I’m sharing a part of me that is definitely deeper than my skin, and there is a power within a voice. That’s why I think even when we read silently we still sometimes hear the words inside our minds spoken in a familiar voice.

It is only through voice that we can actually touch another person from a distance. Sound waves are created deep in our throats which then travel through the air and into another’s ear where it then actually physically moves a part of them. The tympanic membrane vibrates and through that, we interpret the sound. In many ways, by speaking my words, I am reaching out and hoping the audience will let me touch them in a warm aural embrace, sharing what I’ve written with me. The added strip teases I do with some of my works are simply a way to engage more senses with the performance. To augment the words and the feelings arisen by them.

And that’s what strive to do, amalgamate both the power of my words and the power in the reveal of the body.  I like that I can light up more than one part of my audience’s brains. As they interpret what I’m saying they are actively participating. When they watch what I’m revealing to them, their visual sense engages and their imagination takes over where the strip tease stops. And finally, they can literally feel the reverberation of my voice as they listen.

In the write up for the event on Cloud City Press’ Blog they paraphrased me speaking about this on Wednesday:

““One of the things I do is these poetry competitions, where I’m not aloud (sic) to do anything with my clothes or use any props. And the other thing I do is burlesque shows where I use my clothes as props and then do away with them,”.

I’m so eloquent aren’t I? This is why I memorize my stuff and don’t talk off the cuff much. At least all the words seem to have come out in the right order this time. But what I said is true. I feel drawn to this kind of mixed performance most, because I can add so many parts together to make more than a whole. The right words in the ear can be as sensual as silk over skin, and seeing silk over skin can feel in your mind like the touch of a lover. I guess the only point of this post is that I think I have something good with this path I’m on, something nice, and I like to share it, be it in a book store, night club or theater. I like to bring something just a little different and sexy to people who like this sort of thing.

Update: Check out the live track on Soundcloud from this performance! https://foxsmoulder.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/distraction-live/